And coming into the parts of Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asked His disciples, saying, Who do men say Me to be, the Son of Man? And they said, Some say, John the Baptist; some, Elijah; and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. He said to them, But who do you say I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:13-16).
Jesus answered and said to him, You are blessed, Simon, son of Jonah, for flesh and blood did not reveal it to you, but My Father in Heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16:17-18). The Roman Catholic Church bases the authority of the papacy (Bishop of Rome) over the whole church on Peter being “the rock”.
The following verses show Christ is “the Rock”, not Peter. To see this we first need to understand that the church is the New Jerusalem the Apostle John saw coming down out of heaven from God.
Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband (Revelation 21:2). Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, "Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife." And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, (Revelation 21:9-10).
When we see this, we can see the Disciples of Christ are the twelve foundation blocks which the church is built upon, with the Apostle Peter being one of twelve “stones” or foundation blocks (“rocks”).
The next verse pertains to the Hebrews coming out of Egypt. And all drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank of the spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ (1 Corinthians 10:4). Christ is the Rock, and Peter is one of twelve rocks.
Christ is also referred to as “a Rock” of offense and a stumbling stone to unbelievers. As it is written, "Behold, I lay in Zion a Stumbling-stone and a Rock-of-offense, and everyone believing on Him shall not be put to shame" (Romans 9:33). Christ was a Rock of offense, a stumbling-stone to Israel, so through their unbelief, God has mercy on the Gentiles to save them first, and then all Israel will be saved.
In describing the church, the bride of Christ (New Jerusalem), John refers to Christ as the chief cornerstone. Now therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, (Ephesians 2:19-20). Christ is the chief cornerstone.
The Church as the bride of Christ is the city of God (New Jerusalem), the foundation of which is built upon the twelve apostles, with Jesus Christ being the chief cornerstone. The twelve apostles (including Peter) are the foundation (rocks) upon which the church is built. The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb (Revelation 21:14).
The whole point of this is that the Apostle Peter was a rock, but not “the Rock” upon which the church is built. As one of the Apostles, Peter was one foundation stone (rock) along with the other eleven Apostles, but he was not “the Rock”. Christ is “the Rock”, the chief cornerstone upon which the church is built.
An additional note: Children of sanctified believers were born of the Spirit and holy by receiving the Spirit when conceived through the seed of either parent with the Spirit (1 Corinthians 7:14). This was similar to the Spirit being passed on by conception through Jacob (Israel) and his offspring. This is why they were holy which qualified them to enter into the Holy City New Jerusalem when saved. This is why the names of the twelve sons of Jacob are on the pearly gates of the Holy City, New Jerusalem. The great multitude, which no one could number, received the Spirit as descendants of the 144,000 servants of God that were saved from the twelve tribes of Israel.
God bless
Jesus answered and said to him, You are blessed, Simon, son of Jonah, for flesh and blood did not reveal it to you, but My Father in Heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16:17-18). The Roman Catholic Church bases the authority of the papacy (Bishop of Rome) over the whole church on Peter being “the rock”.
The following verses show Christ is “the Rock”, not Peter. To see this we first need to understand that the church is the New Jerusalem the Apostle John saw coming down out of heaven from God.
Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband (Revelation 21:2). Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, "Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife." And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, (Revelation 21:9-10).
When we see this, we can see the Disciples of Christ are the twelve foundation blocks which the church is built upon, with the Apostle Peter being one of twelve “stones” or foundation blocks (“rocks”).
The next verse pertains to the Hebrews coming out of Egypt. And all drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank of the spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ (1 Corinthians 10:4). Christ is the Rock, and Peter is one of twelve rocks.
Christ is also referred to as “a Rock” of offense and a stumbling stone to unbelievers. As it is written, "Behold, I lay in Zion a Stumbling-stone and a Rock-of-offense, and everyone believing on Him shall not be put to shame" (Romans 9:33). Christ was a Rock of offense, a stumbling-stone to Israel, so through their unbelief, God has mercy on the Gentiles to save them first, and then all Israel will be saved.
In describing the church, the bride of Christ (New Jerusalem), John refers to Christ as the chief cornerstone. Now therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, (Ephesians 2:19-20). Christ is the chief cornerstone.
The Church as the bride of Christ is the city of God (New Jerusalem), the foundation of which is built upon the twelve apostles, with Jesus Christ being the chief cornerstone. The twelve apostles (including Peter) are the foundation (rocks) upon which the church is built. The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb (Revelation 21:14).
The whole point of this is that the Apostle Peter was a rock, but not “the Rock” upon which the church is built. As one of the Apostles, Peter was one foundation stone (rock) along with the other eleven Apostles, but he was not “the Rock”. Christ is “the Rock”, the chief cornerstone upon which the church is built.
An additional note: Children of sanctified believers were born of the Spirit and holy by receiving the Spirit when conceived through the seed of either parent with the Spirit (1 Corinthians 7:14). This was similar to the Spirit being passed on by conception through Jacob (Israel) and his offspring. This is why they were holy which qualified them to enter into the Holy City New Jerusalem when saved. This is why the names of the twelve sons of Jacob are on the pearly gates of the Holy City, New Jerusalem. The great multitude, which no one could number, received the Spirit as descendants of the 144,000 servants of God that were saved from the twelve tribes of Israel.
God bless
